Anomalous particle through soap-free emulsion polymerization of styrene using oil-soluble initiator

Abstract

One of oil-soluble initiators, VF-096, might work as cross-linker. This initiator would enable to synthesize the particle with cross-linking, which was involved with the particle morphology. Soap-free emulsion polymerization of styrene using this initiator was carried out to develop the method to control the particle morphology in one batch system. As a result, it was found that anomalous particle was generated without stirring and the particle morphology changed to be spherical by increasing shear stress through the stirring. One of the origins of the anomalous particle was the phase separation of the water in the particle and release of it from inside of the particle to the bulk.